Flexible conduit for electric conductors



July 6, 1937. c. E. BEDELL FLEXIBLE CONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS Filed Feb. 26, 1936 Patented July 6, 1937 FLEXIBLE CONDUIT FOR ELEcTRIo CONDUCTORS Charles E. Bedell, Port Richmond, Staten Island,

N. Y., assignor of one-half to Harry J. Hornung, Jersey City7 N. J.

Application February 26, 1936, Serial No. 65,889

2 Claims. (Cl. 24739) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE My invention relates to new and useful improvements in armored cables generally, although more particularly to spirally wound flexible conduits for electric conductors. -These cables are of indeterminate length and in practice it is necessary to cut the cable at the end of an installation. This necessitates the bending of the cable by the workman and the sawing of the cable at the point of bend.

The principal object of my invention is to pro- Vide spaced weakened sections whereby the cable may be easily broken by hand at any section Without the necessity of the workman having to first bend the cable and then sever the same by sawing.

" several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing. Y

In the drawing:

Figure 1 'is a plan view of a strip showing the first step in the method employed in forming my flexible conduit.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the inner face of the strip provided with the spaced weakened sections and registering edge notches and constituting the second step of my improved method.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the outer face of the strip.

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view showing a flexible conduit constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the last step in my improved method.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

In carrying out my invention, I first form a sheet metal strip A of indeterminate length, as shown in Figure 1. The strip A is then formed with a plurality of spaced weakened sections 5 throughout the length of the strip, as shown in Figure 2. These weakened portions are preferably formed by scores which extend transversely across the inner face of the strip at spaced intervals. These scores are preferably spaced equidistantly, say about 3 or 4 inches. These scores are preferably disposed at a 45 angle to the longitudinal axis of the strip to facilitate the breaking of the conduit along any one of these sections.

Inasmuch as these scores are on the inner face of the strip A, they will be invisible to the workman when the conduit is formed. I have provided a means whereby notches 6 are placed in accordance with these scores for external visible location by the workman. To this end, the notches 6 are formed along one edge of the strip ,A and are in register with the scores. The

notches 6 also serve to reduce the cross-sectional area along the scores 5 to thereby further weaken the cable and permit the workmen to more easily break the cable at any one of these sections. In order to further reduce the cross-sectional area along the scores 5 and also reduce the effort necessary to break the cable, I have provided the other edge of the strip with notches 1 which register with the scores 5. The strip thus formed is spirally wound around one or more electric conductors 3, as shown in Figure 5. In the spiral winding of the strip A around the conductors 8 one edge of the strip A is covered and consequently the notches l are invisible. However, the notches 6 remain visible and may consequently be observed by-the workman.

These weakened portions 5 are spaced apart equidistantly and the distances between the weakened sections are such that in the spiral winding around the conductors 8 the notches 6 are staggered relative to the longitudinal axis of said conductors.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A flexible conduit for electric conductors comprising a metallic strip wound spirally upon itself so that one edge of the strip is exposed in the form of a spiral and the other ,hidden; said strip having a plurality of spaced transverse hand-break-facilitating scores extending entirely across the inwardly wound face of the strip, the exposed edge of the strip being provided with notches coinciding with the scores for indicating their locations and facilitating breaking therethrough.

2. A flexible conduit for electric conductors comprising a metallic strip wound spirally upon itself so that one edge of the strip is exposed in inciding with the scores to facilitate hand-breaking of the conduit, the notches in the exposed edge serving to indicate the locations of the transverse scores, and said scores being staggered relative to the longitudinal axis of the conduit.

CHARLES E. BEDELL. 

